Ahhh, summer! No more school, no more cold weather, a season where you can relax and soak up some much-needed vitamin D. If you are anything like I am, nothing beats a good summer read. Whether you are at the beach, at a pool, or just lounging in your backyard, there should always be a book by your side.

Here are ten of my favorites. All of the books on this list I recommend if you are looking for a good summer read; mostly contemporaries, but cover a wide range of topics. Even if you aren’t a huge reader, I encourage you to pick up a book this summer and give it a shot, you may be pleasantly surprised.

1. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

This first one is my all-time favorite contemporary read and a complete heart breaker, so have tissues handy when you read this one. The story follows a boy named Finch and a girl named Violet. Finch is obsessed with death and Violet is reeling after the loss of her sister. Both teens find themselves at the top of a bell tower and end up saving each other in unexpected ways. They embark on a journey of self-discovery and find solace in each other. All I can say without giving too much away is that this book leaves an impression on you and in my opinion, really portrays the struggle many teens have with their mental health. It can be a tough read for some since it deals with some difficult topics, but it is a revelation and completely worth the read.

2. On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

This next book is a pretty quick and interesting read. Sixteen-year-old T.J. Callahan’s cancer is in remission when his parents send him to their house in the Maldives to catch up on all the schoolwork he has missed with his 30-year-old tutor Anna Emerson. Not everything goes according to plan however, when their plane crashes on a remote island and they are struggling to survive, all the while slowly falling in love. I really enjoyed this book and I also really enjoyed the relationship building. Each character’s actions are believable and well written and the romance is conveyed appropriately and is not overwhelming. On the Island is a great beachy read that’ll have you hooked right away.

3. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Walton’s writing and creativity in this book creates the perfect odd but fascinating read. It has a lot of magical realism which makes it difficult to explain. But if you like the magic realism genre and like the mysterious, then this book is for you. The book follows three generations of the Roux family and how love tends to end in tragedy for the family. We then get to the main character Ava, who is born with wings and is trying to find her place in the world. This book is full of quirky yet real characters, but is also filled with the tragedies of love.

4. Audrey, Wait! By Robin Benway

This must be my all-time favorite band book of all time. I read it for the first time in sixth grade and I haven’t forgotten anything about it. The main character Audrey just broke up with her guitar-playing boyfriend Evan, who just happens to be in a well-known band. Unsurprisingly, Evan writes a song about their breakup that thrusts them into stardom and Audrey in the spotlight. This book is crazy and fun and is a perfect lighthearted read for the summer. I could go on and on, so just read this book, seriously.

5. L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

I love Lauren Conrad so much I just had to include one of her books in this list. L.A. Candy is about Jane Roberts and her best friend Scarlett who move to Los Angeles and get asked to be the stars of a hit new reality TV show and as Jane gets more attention, so does all the drama. I love both Jane and Scarlett and all the crazy shenanigans they get into while being thrust into Hollywood’s spotlight. Hollywood is crazy, and so is this book, so don’t expect a deep and thought-provoking read, it is purely just for the reader’s entertainment, and that is fine by me. This is a trilogy so there are two books that continue Jane and Scarlett’s story ¬Sweet Little Lies and Sugar and Spice.

6. The One and Only by Emily Giffin

I love Giffin’s writing and story line in this novel. The main character, 33-year-old Shea has stayed in the same football-obsessed Texas town all her life. When her best friend’s mother dies, she finds herself questioning what she really wants out of her life. With that, we embark on a journey full of football, crazy romance, and just pure fun. I love the main character Shea and how she is portrayed as a tough football loving female who isn’t scared to admit she isn’t sure what she wants out of life, even at 33. If you love football, or sports in general, you’ll love this book.

7. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

This series could or could not be categorized as a “summer read” but since this is my list, I am putting it on here. This series, consisting of The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and The Raven King are magical masterpieces involving a boy named Gansey who is following these magical ley lines to try and find a lost king/magic who he has been obsessed with all his life and what he believed saved his. His friends, Noah, Ronan, and Adam help him on his crazy quest and their bond of friendship is so strong and powerful and so beautifully written. Then there is Blue, who’s mom and sisters are psychics and who never fail to remind Blue that when she kisses her true love, she’ll kill him. This book has a wide range of diverse characters all who have their own powers and overcome their individual struggles.

8. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Now I haven’t read this book yet, but I have read enough reviews on it to know that it is amazing and is the perfect summer read. The story follows a girl named Cath who is a huge fangirl over the Simon Snow series along with her twin sister Wren. Until her sister decides to move on and not room with Cath in college practically abandoning her. Cath is left to her own devices to navigate this strange new college world and who isn’t ready to leave her fangirl days behind her. Throughout the novel, Cath meets an interesting cast of characters and finds herself whilst navigating this new world on her own.

9. The Son by Jo Nesbo

This next one I am not even going to try and defend as a summer read, it is not a romance nor soft and fluffy, but it's freaking good and I need other people to read the beauty that is this book. The main character is a heroin addict named Sonny (just a tad ironic considering the title) who is in prison for murder and who has hit rock bottom over his father’s death and the belief that he was a rogue police officer. Therefore, Sonny willingly takes the fall for crimes he did not commit just to stay in jail and have a steady supply of heroin. Until he learns that his father wasn’t the bad person Sonny thought he was and therefore sets on a path of kick butt bloody revenge on those who wronged him. This book is completely kick ass and intense and just amazing.

10. Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

A summer reading list, in my opinion, is not complete without a Sarah Dessen book. Sarah is the Queen of contemporaries in my mind. This is a new book of hers and is coming out June 6 of this year. It follows a woman named Louna, who is a wedding planner and has sworn off love after her previous relationship ended tragically. She then meets Ambrose and he might be her second chance. This is a fluffy and humorous contemporary read that I am really excited for and that I think will be enjoyable on a nice summer day.